Automatic elevator gate



J. SCHUBNEL AUTOMATIC ELEVATOR (FATE Filed May 5. 1921 v2 Sheets-Sheet i ml/llll/l/l////ll////l ///////l///L7 f-LE- 2g: Zjwuvxntoz 11 1 0,565,018 pch 11 lane! May 27 1924. 1,495,208

J. SCHUBNEL AUTOMATIC ELEVATOR GATE Filed May 5. i921 2 Sheets-Shed 2 /Z/Z(///////////////// IJJ Patented May 27, 1924.

UNITED STATES JOSEPH SCHUBNEL, OF NORTH ADAMS, MASSACHUSETTS.

AUTOMATIC ELEVATOR GATE.

Application filed. May 5,

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J osnrn SCHUBNEL, a citizen of France, residing at North Adams, in the county of Berkshire and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Automatic Elevator Gates, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to mechanism for operating elevator gates, and more particularly a gate operating mechanism by which the gate is automatically opened by the elevator as it approaches the landing going up or down, whereas when the elevator leaves the landing, the gate automatically closes.

The invention has for its object to provide a very simple and highly efiicient mechanism of the kind stated, and to this end it consists in a novel combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter de scribed and claimed.

In order that the invention may be better understood, reference is had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is an elevation of the mechanism, partly in section;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but taken at right angles thereto;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged elevation of certain controlling devicesshowing their position when the gate has been opened;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the. parts shown in Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view of the gates and their operating cables and pulley connections.

Referring specifically to the drawings, 10 denotes a fragment of an ordinary freight elevator to which the invention is more par-v ticularly applicable. A landing or floor is shown at 11, at which is located a gate composedof two vertically slidable sections 12 and 13, respectively, for closing the elevator shaft or well. The gate sections Work between suitable upright frame members 14, and. they are arranged to travel upwardly to open position, and downwardlyto closed position.

The elevation of, the gate to open position is effected by a mechanism controlled by the movement of the elevator 10, said mechanism comprising the following parts:

A hoisting line 15 is passed intermediate its ends around a pulley 16, and has its two ends extending upwardly therefrom, and

1921. Serial No. 466,908.

passing over guide pulleys 17, from which latter they pass horizontally to guide pulleys 18 and then extend downwardly for connection to the respective gate sections12 guide housing 20. It will therefore be seen,

that the gate is elevated to open position when the weight 19 is drawn down, and upon releasing the latter, the gate drops by gravity to closed position. The weight 19 is heavy enough to nearly counterbalance the moving parts. hen the gate is opening the section 12 starts to move first and upon reaching the top of the frame member 141 it stops, whereupon the section 13 starts to travel upwardly. The relative movements of the gate sections are due to the fact that the section 12 is made of slightly lighter weight than the section 13 in order that the lower and most dangerous portion of the opening will not be exposed until the elevator floor registers with the floor of the landing.

To the bottom ofthe weight 19 is attached one end of a hauling line 21 having its other end made fast, as shown at 22, to a base plate 23 on the wall of the elevator shaft. The line 21 extends downwardly from the weight 19 and passes laterally from the housing 20 over a guide pulley 24c, and'then extends over a second guide pulley 25, from which latter it passes upwardly and is looped around a vertically movable pulley block 26. It will therefore be seen that the upward movement of the pulley block 26 draws the line 21 in a direction to pull the weight 19 down, so that through the line 15 the gate sections 12 and 13 are elevated. The pulley block 26 is operated by the following mechanism: 1 a

On vertical guide rods 27, carried by the plate 23, are mounted two slide blocks 28 1 and 29, and above and below said blocks are located pulleys 31. An endless cable, belt, chain or other suitable flexible connection 32 is trained around the pulleys 31, the latter being stationary and vertically spaced. It will therefore be seen that when the line 32 is in motion, its two opposite vertically positioned runs travelin opposite directions, one going down and the other up, and vice versa. To the upper block 28 is made fast one end of a line 33, which latter, after passing upwardly and arounda guide pulley 3 1,

extends downwardly and is connected to the pulley block 26. Thus, when the slide 28 travels downwardly, the pulley block 26 is drawn upwardly, whereby the gate sections 12 and 13 are elevated through the connections hereinbefore described.

On the elevator 10 is a device for actuating the slides 28 and 29, the same being a horizontally slidable block 35 carrying two rollers 36 and 37 at its outer end, and a third roller 38 therebetween. The block 35 is mounted in a housing 39 having a supporting arm 40 which is secured to a standard 41 carried by the elevator 10. The arm 40 is adjustably secured to the standard 41 by set screws 42, and hence the mechanism carried by said arm is vertically adjustable.

On the rearend of the block 35 is a stem 43 which projects from the housing 39 and is here fitted with a rotatable cam member 44 provided with an operating handle 45, and designed so that when it is swung from horizontal to pendent position it retracts the block 35 to place the rollers 36, 37 and 38 in inoperative position, whereas when swung to horizontal position the block is permitted to advance to place the rollers in operative position, the forward movement of the block being effected by a coiled spring 46 engageable therewith. The rear end of the housing 39 is shaped to cooperate with the cam 44 for effecting the rearward movement of the block 35.

The rollers 36 and 37 are laterally spaced, and their location is such that they are intercepted by abutments on the slides 28 and 29, the said abutments being also laterally spaced. The abutment 47 of the slide, 28 is in the path of the roller 36, whereas the abutment 48 of the slide 29 is in the path of the roller 37.

As the rollers 36 and 37 travel up and down with the elevator 10, it will be seen that when the slide block 35 is in advanced position, and the elevator is going up, the roller 37 upon reaching the abutment 48 causes the slide 29 to travel upwardly, resulting in a downward travel of the slide 28, whereby the line 33 is pulled down to elevate the gate sections 12 and 13 through the connections already described. The same action takes place when the elevator is descending, but now the roller 36 engages the abutment 47 of slide 28, and causes the latter to travel downwardly. It will be understood that the block 35 will be advanced to position the rollers 36 and 37 in operative position only if the elevator is to make a stop at the landing 11 to take on or discharge goods or passengers. At all other times, the block 35 will be held retracted to keep the rollers 36 and 37 clear ot the abutments 47 and 48, so that the gate op erating means may remain idle or inactive. The slides 28 and 29 are spaced vertically when the gate is closed, and they approach each other when they are operated to effect the opening of the gate. It will also be understood that the slides will be arranged to travel just far enough in the lastdescribed direction to open the gate.

In order that the rollers 36 and 37 may be automatically tripped off the abutments 47 and 48 to allow the gate to lower when the elevator 10 leaves the landing, there is mounted on the plate 23 an abutment 49 having opposite inclines which are so positioned that the upper incline intercepts the roller 38 when the elevator 10 is descending, whereas the lower incline intercepts said roller when the elevator is ascending. The inclines intercept the roller just as the elevator floor is'about to come level with the landing, and the gate having been elevated, the incline which engages the roller 38 causes the block 35 to slide .rearwardly to retract the rollers 36 and 37 clear of the abutments 47 and 48. The abutment 49 is located to extend between the abutments 47 and 48 when the slides 28 and 29 have approached each other in their movement in a direction to open the gate, and the support of the rollers 36, 37 and 38 is so positioned that said rollers function at the proper time in the manner described.

As the gate-operating mechanism was released by the abutment 49 when the elevator reached the landing 11, a means must be provided for preventing a return movement of the line 33, or an upward movement of the slide 28 and a downward move-- ment of the slide 29, as such movement would permit the gate to drop by gravity to closed position. To prevent this, there is attached to the lower slide 29 at the end which is connected to the line 32, an abutment 50 which is engaged by a latch 51 on the plate 23, said latch being pivoted, as shown at 52, to a bracket 53 on said plate. This latch is so located that it may engage the abutment 50 at the same time the release of the gate. operating means takes place, and it holds the slide 29 so that it cannot move downwardly and allow the line 33 to travel in a direction to cause the gate to lower.

The latch 51 has a depending weighted end 54 which extends into the path of a shoe 55 carried by the standard 41 on the elevator, and so positioned that it engages the. latch end and swings the latch to, and looks it in holding position when the elevator reaches the landing this action tak- I ing place irrespective of the direction the elevator is traveling' When the elevator leaves the landing, the shoe 55 moves away from the latch end 54, and the latter now allows the latch 51 to swing clear of the abutment 50. The slide 29 is now released, and is free to move downwardly on the rods 27 to permit the gate to close, the slide 28, at the same time, moving upwardly to pay out the line 33, which action, through the connections withthe gate, allows the latter to ;drop to closed position.

The shoe 55 is adjustably mounted on the standard 41, and it is held in adjusted position by a set screw 56.

If the elevator operator should fail to advance the block to place the rollers 36, 37 and 38 in operative position, the gate remains closed and it must be opened by hand. It will also be understood that the mechanism, except that which is carried by the elevator, must be duplicated at each floor or landing.

To facilitate manual operation of the gate, the end of the slide 28 which is connected to the line 33 carries a counterweight 57. At the ends of the guide rods 27 are stop blocks 58 for the slides 28 and 29.

It will be noted that the handle is in horizontal position when the cam 44 has been turned to allow the rollers 36, 37 and 38 to advance to operative position. When the rollers are forced back by the inclines 49, the cam 44 backs away from the rear end of the housing 39, and as the handle 45 is weighted and loose on the stem 43, the cam is made to rotate to assume a position where it holds the rollers retracted. The handle is now in a pendent position, and the rollers are locked in retracted or inoperative position. The pendent position of the handle effectually serves to prevent the cam from accidentally being jarred loose to permit advance of the rollers to operative position.

The operation of the mechanism may be summarized as follows:

Assuming that the elevator 10 is ascending, and that the handle 45 has been swung to horizontal position as shown in Fig. 2 to advance the rollers 36 and 37, it will be apparent that when the roller 37 reaches the abutment 48 it will cause the slide 29 to travel upwardly, resultin in a downward travel of the slide 28. this movement of the slides 28 and 29, the end of the line 33 connected to the slide 28 is pulled downwardly, resulting in an upward movement of the pulley 26. This upward travel of the pulley 26 draws on the line 21 in a direction to lower the pulley 16, whereby, through the line 15, the gate sections 12 and 13 ar elevated. The same action takes place when the elevator is descending, but now the roller 36 engages the abutment 47 of the slide 28, causing the latter to travel downwardly. When the elevator reaches the landing, one of the inclines of the abutment 49 intercepts the roller 37 or the roller 38, according to the direction in which the elevator traveling, and such engagement of the incline with the roller causes the block 35 to be forced rearwardly to retract the rollers 36 and 37 clear of the abutments 47 and 48. This action takes place when the elevator is at the landing, and as a stop is to be made at the landing, it is necessary to prevent the closing of the gate while the elevator is still at rest at the landing. This closing of the gate is prevented by the latch 51 engaging the abutment 50. As pointed out ,hereinbefore, when the elevator reaches the landing, the shoe 55 engages the Weighted end 54 of the latch 51 and positions the latch to engage the abutment 50, thereby preventing areturn movement of the slides 29 and 28, and consequent closing of the gate. It will be understood that the engagement of the latch 51 with the abutment takes place just before the block 35 is forced rearw'ardly to take the-rollers 36 and 37 clear of the abutments 47 and 48. When the elevator leaves the landing, the shoe 55 moves away from the weighted end 54 of the latch 51, and the latter now swings clear of the abutment 50. As the slide 29 is now released, it is free to move downwardly on the rods 27 to permit the gate to close, the slide 28, at the same time, moving upwardly to pay out the line 33, which action, through the connections with the gate, allows the latter to descend to closed position.

I claim:

1. The combination with an elevatorand a landing gate; of a hauling line having a connection with the gate for operating the same, a movable pulley block to which said line is operatively connected, an operating line for the pulley block, a pair of vertically spaced and stationary guide pulleys, an endless line passing around the guide pulleys,'

slides fastened to opposite runs of the lastmentioned line, to one of which slides the aforesaid operating line is connected, and a slide-actuator on the elevator, and adjustable to be intercepted by the slides.

2. The combination with an elevator and a landing gate; of a hauling line having a connection with the gate for operating the same, a movable pulley block to which said line is operatively connected, an operating line for the pulley block, a pair of vertically spaced and stationary guide pulleys, an endless line passing around the guide pulleys, slides fastened to opposite runs of the lastmentioned line, to one of which slides the aforesaid operating line is connected, a slide-actuator on the elevator, and adjustable to be intercepted by the slides, and means extending into the path of the ac tuator and operating to retract the same to inoperative position at the limits of the movements of the slides to gate-opening position.

3. The combination with an elevator and a landing gate; of a hauling line having aconnection with the gate for operating the same, a movable pulley block to which said line is operatively connected, an operating line for the pulley block, a pair of vertically spaced and stationary guide pulleys, an endless line passing around the guide pulleys, slides fastened to opposite runs of the last-mentioned line, to one of which slides the aforesaid operating line is connected, a

slide-actuator on the elevator, and adjustable to be intercepted by the slides, a stationary abutment having opposite inclines which are in the path of the actuator and operate to retract the same to inoperative position at the limits of the movements of the slides to gate-opening position.

4. The combination with an elevator and a landing gate; of a hauling line havinga connection with the gate for operating the same, a movable pulley block to which said line is operatively connected, an operating line for the pulley block, a pair of vertically spaced and stationary guide pulleys, an endless line passing around the guide pulleys, slides fastened to opposite runs of the lastmentioned line, to one of which slides the aforesaid operating line is connected, a slide-actuator on the elevator, and adjustable to be intercepted by the slides means extending into the path of the actuator and operating to retract the same to inoperative position at the limits of the movements of the slides to gate-opening position, a latch engageable With one of the slides for preventing movement thereof after its arrival in gate-opening position, and means on the elevator for tripping said latch.

In testimony whereof I affix-my signature.

JOSEPH SC'HUBNEL. 

